Keeper of The Spirits said:
Interested in your approach I've got a hearing towards the end of the month
Sure, but remember you asked.
My situation may be pretty different from most, in that I was protesting a 400% increase in the value of some commercial land, so there were no flaws in the improvements for me to detail and quantify, but rather instead I argued that the CAD's 'comparables' were not comparable in the slightest and also included the unequal appraisal argument based on the assessed land values of a 'reasonable' number of adjacent comparable properties with adjustments.
The good thing about protesting only land is that any adjustments are pretty easy to calculate (and minimal
if you select highly comparable properties). If instead you had to consider improvements, it gets pretty hairy. I'm not sure I could do that without paying for some professional help, and even then it gets pretty subjective. Even MAI's can diverge widely on values sometimes.
The good thing about the unequal appraisal argument is that you have ready access to the values the CAD put on your selected 'unequally appraised' properties. Of course, if those other properties are appraised just like yours (even if all are over 'market'), forget it, as you're wasting your time arguing unequal appraisal.
In the commercial realm, the CAD has real trouble getting sales comps here in Texas (but then so does the landowner). As a result, they sometimes have to go dig up comps way out in left field and many of those are easy to differentiate, provided you present some decent hardcopy evidence at the hearing.
That evidence may include population statistics within a certain radius, traffic counts, average income in a certain radius, etc... For example, a vacant lot in Fair Park shouldn't be compared with a vacant lot in Highland Park, even though technically, both are 'Park Cities'. {Sorry, I couldn't resist}. But, you need to show
why that's the case. Throwing out the phrase 'common sense' or 'in my experience' usually doesn't count for much.
If you do want to put on a good show, it helps to have someone who is good with the graphical computer programs to produce colorful (and simple-to-understand) and well-labeled maps and charts and then put them in .pdf form with a table of contents for all your evidence.
If you use some of the stuff like population within a certain radius put in on a colored map and be sure to document on the same sheet the source and the date. Those are important. I can BS with the best of them when I need to, but you need to show the ARB 'hardcopy' evidence if you want to give them enough reason to rule in your favor. Just because they like you (or the stacked show model you brought with you) won't get you a win.
Good luck.
BTW, a new law went into effect on January 1, 2022. It states that the CAD must grant you an 'informal meeting' with the appraiser before your protest hearing, provided you requested it when you filed your protest. If you get that meeting, (I have in past years), you can often get things handled if you make decent points.
OTOH, I did request an informal meeting and was told they ran out of time for informal meetings, which apparently is now unlawful. It worked out in my favor, though, as it gave me more time to prepare good arguments and get together evidence.
I feel for you guys who protest your home valuations. I've never done that, even though they are upsetting some years. It seems with the 10% increase cap, and a whole slew of 'comps' they'll have (thanks to MLS) in your own neighborhood, that's a tough row to hoe, unless your home has some serious problems.
Again, good luck.
